Heading to Dublin for the Six Nations Tournament
Heading to Dublin with the supporters of the French national team on charter flights.
On February 11, we organised several group flights from Paris and regional cities to attend the match between Ireland and France. Chartered aircraft filled with supporters, with a great atmosphere from departure through to arrival at the stadium.
Group flights organised in advance
In early January, our Sports Department received several charter requests to organise group flights to Dublin.
Once the charter requests were handled by our team, we proposed a selection of commercial aircraft to our client to operate these flights. After client approval, we managed the entire operational side and the aircraft positioning on departure day.
Due to heavy traffic and staffing constraints at Dublin Airport, we secured landing and take-off slots in advance. In addition, aircraft parking stands were pre-booked to ensure smooth operations.
Finally, all our flights were supervised on site, with close attention paid to the arrival of supporters, baggage check-in and aircraft boarding.
The Six Nations: a major driver of supporter travel
The Six Nations Championship stands as one of the most prestigious and high-profile sporting competitions in Europe, attracting millions of viewers and mobilising tens of thousands of travelling supporters each year.
With fixed match dates, limited airport infrastructure in host cities and a strong concentration of demand over short time windows, air transport quickly becomes a critical component of event success.
Commercial airline capacity is often saturated well in advance, fares are highly volatile, and schedules are rarely aligned with match kick-off times or same-day returns.
For travel agencies, managing supporter travel for the Six Nations therefore requires anticipation, operational expertise and reliable transport solutions capable of absorbing peak demand without compromising service quality.
Why charter flights are a high-value solution for travel agencies
Charter aviation provides travel agencies with a powerful and flexible tool to structure and secure supporter travel during major sporting events.
By chartering aircraft, agencies gain full control over flight schedules, departure airports and passenger capacity, ensuring supporters travel together and arrive in optimal conditions.
Guaranteed availability removes exposure to last-minute seat shortages, schedule disruptions and price surges commonly associated with regular commercial flights during major tournaments.
From a commercial perspective, charter flights allow agencies to build turnkey sports travel packages with predictable costs, optimised margins and a differentiated offering. Operationally, dedicated aircraft simplify group logistics, enhance reliability and create a premium supporter experience, while reinforcing the agency’s positioning as a trusted partner for large-scale sports travel and international event logistics.
FAQ
A charter flight is a privately contracted aircraft operated exclusively for a group of supporters. It allows travel agencies to secure dedicated capacity, define schedules and routes, and ensure all passengers travel together under controlled operational conditions.
During the Six Nations, commercial flights are often fully booked, expensive and poorly aligned with match schedules. Charter flights offer guaranteed availability, schedule flexibility, cost control and reduced operational risk, making them a more reliable solution for large supporter groups.
For major tournaments such as the Six Nations, charter planning typically starts several weeks to a few months in advance. Early coordination allows agencies to secure the most suitable aircraft, optimise costs, and anticipate airport slot, parking and handling constraints.
